Chapter 382: Laying One's Cards on the Table

It was as if both sides harbored some deep-seated hatred.

Jiang Ying had just broken through at this moment, maintaining that peak in the blink of an eye; she didn't care if she was shattered by every strike and blow, she just wanted to kill, kill, kill, swearing to regain her standing and prove herself.

Du En also kept his promise, using no other techniques, merely moving his hands and feet, covered in Vajra, erupting with great might.

In what looked like a completely evenly matched collision, Meng Changqing saw the truth at a glance: he was actually using a certain type of cushioning, neutralizing the impact, while a surging, immense power erupted from within, capable of rivaling the simple ferocity of a supreme physical body! Back and forth it went; clearly, the strength of the two Vajras was similar, yet Jiang Ying's side kept shattering, while his side, after dozens of moves, finally cracked a single seam.

"Why?!"

Although Jiang Ying could not see the Blood God Unending and Green Spirit Inexhaustible within, she clearly understood the discomfort of this situation even better; she had obviously broken through, was at her strongest in this instant, and was only a hair's breadth away from touching the ranks of the Heaven's Pride, capable of erupting with great might, yet she still could not beat this guy in front of her.

He, with a more solid, more resilient, and more surplus-filled posture, was like a canyon dam, intercepting the surging torrent entirely; no matter how she charged, it was to no avail, and even if she managed to crack a little bit with great difficulty, it would recover as if new in the blink of an eye.

"I have the Five Undying, forged..."

"I'm not fighting! I'm not fighting!"

Jiang Ying suddenly lost heart, because even with her all-out effort, she had only managed to strike out three Undying, and this already meant she had absolutely no advantage.

If she continued, the momentum of her breakthrough would be severed; although she wouldn't fall to the level of an ordinary genius—requiring an entire major realm to return—without reaching the Heaven's Pride, she would ultimately be unable to prove herself once and for all, only ending up weak and exhausted, to be ruthlessly countered and crushed again.

Anyway, she had vented her anger, so quitting while she was ahead was the right thing to do!

She couldn't give him another chance to beat her into a pulp!

Du En was not actually a pervert who liked beating people into a pulp, so seeing this, he also withdrew his hand.

Then, he looked toward Meng Changqing, who had rushed out of seclusion.

You, you, you've only been out for half a day, how have you become so much stronger again?

Meng Changqing was now under increasing pressure, his scalp gradually beginning to tingle.

Are you the one with the supreme potential, or am I? "Haha, in any case, being able to break through is good, haha."

Finally, although he was speechless in his heart, he still had to smooth things over on the surface, then ask about the situation to see why his two great generals were suddenly fighting so fiercely.

It clearly shouldn't have been like this...

Then, he learned what had happened.

"Immortal Body?! Hiss..."

Meng Changqing seemed to think of something, "Perhaps it really is like this; I really did fall into his trap without even realizing it!"

"There is a situation I am very concerned about and need to go verify with him; heh, he's probably just waiting for me to show up..."

Meng Changqing sneered, looking very displeased.

After all, this time they had been countered and schemed against, but if one looked into it, there was no fire to vent, because this matter had been initiated by their side.

However, who could have known the full picture back then?

Even for True Monarch Buyi, that was an unexpected joy, a result of going with the flow.

Shaking his head in the dark, somewhat silent, Meng Changqing walked with hurried steps.

On the fourth peak of the Luoyu Immortal Gate.

Compared to the natural pleasantness of the fifth peak, this fourth peak didn't look like much from the outside, but once one stepped foot on it, one could fully feel the temperament of the peak master himself.

Amidst the desolation grew iron and stone, clusters of man-made steel leaves painted in deep green and deep brown colors, as if they were truly trees and green grass, but in reality, one could only feel a strong sense of oppression and murderous intent.

A staircase led from bottom to top toward the peak; a chill began to strike, and the north wind whistled.

Meng Changqing's footsteps landed on the last step, and looking up, he saw a house that he didn't know how to describe—both very simple and natural, yet possessing many traces of human carving, excavated and built on the foundation of a large rock.

Or should it be called a palace, or a cave? In any case, this was True Monarch Buyi's dojo, his place of cultivation and residence.

As the master of the fourth peak, he had of course noticed when his junior brother stepped in, but he continued to act as he pleased, sitting expressionlessly in the center of the dojo on a stone meditation cushion, reviewing the various reports from his jurisdiction during this period.

What was there to report in the northern lands of the Immortal Gate, which had been left desolate by this True Monarch?

Wasn't it just repeating those things he had established about the law of the jungle and extreme simplification?

If one thought that, then one would be greatly mistaken.

The main territory of the Immortal Gate, because it bordered other immortal gates directly and due to other considerations, actually implemented resolutions and rules that were quite restrained, left room for maneuver, and were even intentionally not overly emphasized.

In other words, the True Monarchs of this sect did not actually put much energy into this side; they spent more of their time in the thousands of star realms under their own jurisdiction, which were closed off and governed, making their own plans and grand designs! As a result, the various matters that required personal review and handling would pile up, as those were, after all, the affairs of countless stars and star realms, both large and small.

Of course, for the True Monarchs, these were just decisions that could be made in the blink of an eye, and in general, it was a situation that wouldn't take much time.

Now that Meng Changqing had come over, True Monarch Buyi was rigid and methodical, having no hospitality to speak of, but it didn't take long for him to finish handling the matters at hand.

Tap.

Tap.

A jade slip was held in his hand, lightly tapping the surface of the stone table in front of him, making a sound that made Meng Changqing squint.

"Senior Brother Buyi has been acting quite strangely lately."

"It is just as it has always been."

True Monarch Buyi glanced at Meng Changqing, and with a tone devoid of emotional fluctuation, said flatly: "It is you, Junior Brother, who can endure the temperament to wait for me for such a moment today; it seems a bit strange."

Upon hearing this, Meng Changqing's eyelids twitched.

Was he trying to restrain himself? It was just that the matter with Jiang Ying was very subtle, leaving him unable to find words to blame the other party for the time being.

Because he was somewhat in the wrong!

Moreover, he still wanted to use this to confirm one thing and needed to be cautious; otherwise, once this stubborn senior brother decided not to speak, he definitely wouldn't! So he could only speak listlessly: "Senior Brother must know why I came over."

"Indeed, the only reason you would come to find me now is that; hmm, the timing is a bit slow. If it were on my side, you should have broken through to the Deity Transformation stage two years ago."

True Monarch Buyi naturally knew that this junior brother of his didn't like any of them, and wouldn't run over to find them without reason; and for his involvement to make him show such patience now, it could only be Jiang Ying's affair.

"Although it was going with the flow at the time, since Du En did ultimately fulfill his promise appropriately and correctly, then the last intervention can be considered as offsetting this; there is no need to mention it again in the future."

The last time, which was actually less than a day ago, True Monarch Buyi had intervened to restrain his own senior sister, which was a quite surprising act for him, as he was someone who stuck to his principles and the framework of the alliance the three of them had made.

I still have to thank you! Meng Changqing felt very depressed, only lamenting that he hadn't noticed Jiang Ying's problem before, and had not even paid attention to the so-called Supreme Hegemony Body theory.

Come to think of it, it had more or less something to do with Jiang Ying's side.

In the previous grand competition, her performance was too much, giving people the impression that the theory was just True Monarch Buyi disciplining her, turning her into someone as foolish and stubborn as himself; that first impression was truly harmful. However.

"Senior Brother, you hide things truly deep, and you give them away as soon as you say you will, without any worry of a leak. No, or rather, you actually don't care about this at all; you just felt there was no need to say it before, right?"

"It is like that, and it is also not like that."

True Monarch Buyi was simple and clear, "Although there was an element of going with the flow, to tell the truth, the only one who would be so concerned about her affairs, leading to this or a similar situation, is actually Junior Brother's side. So, it cannot really be considered going with the flow; more accurately, it was considered long ago."

"……There is a matter I would like to ask about."

Tap.

The action of tapping the jade slip stopped. True Monarch Buyi raised his eyes to look at him. Without any visible movement, the jade slip he had been holding was now in Meng Changqing's hand.

"I can tell you; it is right inside there."

There is a conspiracy! Meng Changqing did not even need to think to reach this conclusion.

"It just happens to be at this stage."

True Monarch Buyi did not hide his intentions, which made the person opposite him even more solemn.

After reading the contents of the jade slip.

Snap! He crushed it directly! The true body over at the Fifth Peak erupted with a burst of power, disturbing the tranquility of the sect.

"You guy, you are truly insane to the extreme!!!"

Meng Changqing's angry rebuke was merely a wisp of breeze; it could not affect the old stone on the mountaintop at all.

True Monarch Buyi's eyes, expression, and mood had no ripples, nor did he commit to a stance; he did not refute this point.

Only after Meng Changqing suppressed his anger did he speak in a flat tone: "I am giving you a chance to stop the destruction."

"……"

Meng Changqing's expression was uncertain.

"Giving Jiang Ying some time to consolidate, and giving Du En some time to grow, is also time for you to prepare their retreat. However, this time, it cannot be for too long."

True Monarch Buyi was luring him into a trap, yet since Meng Changqing knew about it, it was impossible for him not to go and stop the destruction.

Where did his intention lie? It was simple and straightforward: to let those two people step into a specific place during this time period.

As such, that was basically enough.

True Monarch Buyi's planning, given his personality, was like this—always relatively broad. He would consider winning and also consider losing, unlike True Monarch Huiqing who would haggle over every ounce, yet it also made people feel a greater pressure.

——The moment he entered his game, he was already guaranteed not to lose, and had even seen other ways to profit!

Meng Changqing's mood fluctuated, uncertain, but in the end, he did not refuse the other party.

Because he was bound to go and stop the destruction anyway, it was better to reach an agreement with the mastermind. In this way, the subsequent development would be within a frame with very few variables.

It was naturally less dangerous for Du En and the others to intervene, but conversely, it was unlikely that they could truly break True Monarch Buyi's game.

"There are pros and cons, but, it is better this way for now……"

After weighing the pros and cons, Meng Changqing made his choice, sighing inwardly.

True Monarch Buyi was not happy, not proud, and did not feel it was only natural; he was just a cold stone, a cold piece of steel, thinking and considering with immovable logic.

Since the person opposite nodded and agreed, then move to the agreed-upon route; if the person opposite did not agree, then move to the contingency plan for not agreeing.

Facing such a stubborn stone, Meng Changqing had no good expression, and even less desire to stay here. He left in a fit of gloom and anger, cursing this guy in his heart incessantly.

As he cursed, he ended up cursing all the other senior brothers and sisters, as well as the old immortal Sect Master, into the mix.

"A bunch of vermin! How could the cultivation world possibly be run well with you lot!"

Such cursing and grumbling seemed to have been heard by someone.

Therefore, as soon as Meng Changqing went down the mountain, he ran into a figure who forced him to calm down.

Senior Brother, True Monarch Chengru!

"Little Junior Brother."

"What are you here for?"

As Meng Changqing spoke, he wanted to avoid this most annoying guy, thinking only of returning directly to his own Fifth Peak.

As it turned out, the connection to his true body was useless; he had been isolated without even realizing it.

"……"

Meng Changqing's face looked even worse, yet he felt no fear, only looking at the person opposite with a cold, piercing gaze.

It was as if, at the slightest disagreement, a supreme battle would break out in the Luoyu Sect today! "It seems Little Junior Brother has hit a wall over at Fourth Junior Brother's place this time!"

"……You know, yet you still say it; you just have to touch a sore spot, don't you?"

"No, no, no. What if I said that I could actually help you?"

"Whatever schemes and plots you have, speak them out!"

By comparison, Meng Changqing's suspicion of a smiling tiger like True Monarch Chengru was much greater than that of True Monarch Buyi.

——No matter what True Monarch Buyi did, once he made a move, he would always lay his cards on the table directly, without covering or hiding, immovable and unmoving, like an old stone clearly visible on the road!

But this smiling tiger in front of him, ha, he played all sorts of underhanded tricks and cold arrows! Seeing Meng Changqing's expression, True Monarch Chengru knew the other's inner thoughts and couldn't help but sigh long, also beginning to lay some cards on the table: "This time, Du En's trip to Qieguang must have had extra gains, right? Otherwise, Little Junior Brother wouldn't be so anxious that even your avatar is left idle, and you even adjusted the overall space-time laws of the Fifth Peak."

"……"

Meng Changqing was not surprised that he was being watched; he just watched silently, his attitude seemingly softening slightly because of this.

Then, True Monarch Chengru put on a lecturing posture: "However, you are only approaching the Integration Stage after all. To interfere with deep-level laws so hastily is truly a bit reckless. If it weren't for my secret assistance, I suspect Master would already know everything here."

"You……"

"Although he likely wouldn't care, that would lose us some informational advantages. Only by accumulating small gains can we forge the means to defeat him. So, I am not trying to curry favor with you; rather, I just want to remind you not to always rely on my management of Zhongdu to influence the sect and hinder Master, and then do some reckless things."

True Monarch Chengru appeared serious, then smiled again: "Of course, I don't have much to do usually, so non-proactive, reckless behavior is fine. Like Du En receiving the Phoenix's gift, I am happy to see that."

(End of chapter)